Retail sales up 4.1% y.o.y. in August

Compared to August 2020, the volume of sales increased by 1.7% in specialized and non-specialized food retailing according to calendar-adjusted data. The volume of sales increased by 3% in non-specialized food and beverages shops accounting for 74% of food retailing and decreased by 2.5% in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores.

The turnover of non-food retailing increased by a total of 7.8% y.o.y.. Sales volumes rose by 20% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, by 13% in second-hand goods shops, by 6.7% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, by 5.5% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods and by 1.2% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores. Sales volumes fell by 4.4% in furniture and electrical goods stores.

Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounts for 7.8% of retail sales, continued to expand in volume, by 21%.

Sales volumes in automotive fuel stations increased by 2.3%.

Sales in motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores not belonging to retail data decreased by 2.4%.

In August 2021, domestic retail sales amounted to HUF 1.228 trillion at current prices.

Specialized and non-specialized food shops accounted for 46% of all domestic retail sales, while the relevant figures for non-food retail trade and retail trade of petrol stations were 37% and 17% respectively.

In January-August 2021, the volume of retail trade increased by 2.4% compared to the same period of the previous year, according to calendar-adjusted data. The volume of sales rose by 1.8% in specialized and non-specialized food shops, by 3.7% in non-food retail trade, and by 2.7% in automotive fuel retail trade.